Electric sadiron



O- SPAHR ELECTRIC SADIRON Feb. 19, 1924. 1,4a4,2s0

Filed Sept. 2'7. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet l WWW 1 T i i w INVENTOR 0H0 SPA/m ATTORNEYS Feb. 19 1924.

1,484,280 0. SPAHR ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed Sept. 27. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a a /3 27 20 Q I A TTORNEYS at... Feb. 19, 1924.

OFFICE.

OTTO SPARE, OI" PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

' nnnc'rmc sanmon.

Application filed September 27, 1922. Serial No. 590,790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro SPAHR, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadel- 5 phia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovementsin Electricv Sadirons, of whicht e following is a specification.

My invention relatesto sad-irons of the class commonly knownv as: electric irons and heated by electricity, and has for its object to produce a novel and simple construction whereby existing objectionable,- structural defects are overcome, the cost of manufac- 15 ture is reduced to a minimum, and the elli c'iency of the iron is increased to a maximum extent. Other objects of my invention will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be point- 20 ed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanyim drawings, which illustrate an example theinvention without definin its limits, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the iron; Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts omitted; Fig. 3 is a lon itudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; ig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Fig.

1; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section, similar to Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale; Fig '6 is a detail view of the heating element; i 7 is a detail view, and Fig. 8. an inve plan view illustrating a modification of the invention; Fig. 9 is aview, similar to Fig. 3, showing another form thereof, and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 5.

The iron comprises the base 10, constructed in any customer manner and having an upright, periphera shoulder 11 preferably provided at intervals with lugs 12, over which a metallic shell 13 is fitted. The iron, in addition, includesa metallic casting 14 of suitable shape and size to impart the desired weight to said iron, said castin cated within the shell 13, as s own. shown in Figs. 3 and 4, an air space 15 is formed between the casting 14 and the shell 13 in order to retard the transmission. of

heat to said shell. The iron includes further the customa handle 16 for manipulating the same. he parts so far described may he of any convenient construction and are secured together b means of screws 17 which pass through suitable openings in the.

handle 16, shell 13 and casting 14 and screw being lo- As into internall screw-threaded apertures in the base 10. n the preferred construction, exterior washers 18 are located between the handle 16 and the shell 13, while interior washers 19 are positioned between the shell 13 and the casting 14, the screws 17 passing through the washers referred to. The heating, element which constitutes the active means whereby the iron is heated comprises a sheet 20 of suitable material which is a non-conductor of electricity, such as mica, the peripheral edges of which are preferably notched, as indicated at 21. The sheet of material 20 is further provided with screw apertures 22 for the accommodation of the screws 17, and is of a shape and size to conform to the shape and dimensions of the base 10, a continuous wire or band 23 made of a metal which becomes incandescent under the influence of an electrical current flowing therethrough encircling. said sheet 20, as shown. The wire 23 is wound about thesheet 20 in alternate notches 21 from one end of the sheet to the other and then back again to substantially the point of startingin the other alternate notches, the convolutions of the wire bein in surface contact with the opposite 'sur acesof the sheet of insulating material 20. The opposite ends of the wires are secured in metallic contacts 24 rovided with recesses 25, the purposes of w ich will appear more fully hereinafter. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 6 that the convolutions of the wire 23* at points in proximity to the screw apertures-22 are so spaced as, to have no contact with the said screws 17; from said figure it will also be seen that at that end .of the heating element .at which the contacts are located and where the electric current enters, the convolutions of the wire 23 are spaced relatively wide apart to prevent the electric current from jumping from one convolution to the other and to guard against short circuiting. In the preferred arrangement the contacts 24 are of such dimensions as to be less in width than the distance between the convolution of the wire at the end referred to and so as not to overlap any of said convolutions. A sheet 26 of insulating material such as mica is located upon the uppermost series of convolutions of the wire 23 and extends beneath tlrecontact 24 and the terminal ends of the wir connected therewith, said sheet 26 being provided with notches fitting over said terminal ends and having screw apertures adapted to register with the apertures 22 for the accommodation of the screws 17. This sheet 26 insulates the contacts 24 and the terminal ends of the wire 23 against contact with the uppermost series of convolutions of the wire 23. A similar sheet 27 of insulating material such as mica is located upon the sheet 26 and is provided with openings 28 through which the contacts 24 project and whereby said contacts are correctly positioned, as will be hereinafter more fully explained; the sheet 27 is also provided with screw apertures 27 adapted to register with the apertures 22 for the accommodation of the screws 17 The sheet of insulating material 27 serves to insulate the heating material from the casting 14 the latter being formed With an open-ended slot or recess 29 in registry with the contacts 24 and of sufiicient size to maintain said contacts out of en age ment with said casting. One or more s eets 30 of insulating material such as mica are located between the heating element and the base 10 and serve to insulate the lowermost series of convolutions of the wire 23 from the base 10; said sheet or sheets 30 are likewise provided with screw apertures in registry with the apertures 22 for the accommodation of the screws 17.

For the purpose of connecting the iron shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, with a source of electricity, a pair of terminals 31, in the form of rods, are carried by the shell 13 and have their inner ends preferably tapered, as indicated at 31*, to readily fit the recesses 25 of the contacts 24. The terminals 31 are insulated from the shell 13 passing through enlarged openings therein and by means of sections 32 and 33 of suitable insulating material such as mica, and are fixed in position by means of nuts 34. In the preferred construction the insulating section 32 is let into the shell so as to lie flush with the surface thereof and for the purpose of centering the terminal rods in the shell, the latter being properly recessed for this purpose. It will be noted that the terminals 31 and the co-operating contacts 24 are located in line with each other along the major longitudinal axis of the iron, so that when the customary plug 35 is attached to the terminals, any pull upon the wire 35 connected with said plug will be efiiciently resisted and prevent unintentional disconnection of the iron from the source of electricity; that is to say, the terminals 31 are located in line with the direction in which pulls upon the wire will most generally be exerted and consequently interpose an efi'ective resistance against any unintentional removal of the plug therem. To still further increase the'efiiciency of the iron, a depression 36, corresponding in size and shape to the form and dimensions of the heating element, may be included therein; in Figs. 1 to 5 of the illustrated example this depression is formed in the base 10, it being understood that this location is not arbitrary and that said depression might, for instance, be located in the casting 14, as shown in Fig. 8. In any case, the depression 36 serves to accurately position the heating element in its intended location and to positively locate the contacts 24 for engagement by the terminals 31.

It will be noted that the placing of the shell 13 in its intended position automatically engages the terminals 31 with. the contacts 24 or, in other words, causes the tapered ends thereof to automatically enter the recesses 25 of said contacts. The contacts 24 are maintained in proper position for engagement by the terminals through the medium of the openings 28 of the sheet 27 which, in turn, is maintained in place by the screws 17. The operation of connecting the terminals with the contacts requires no manipulation of screws or the like and is reduced to the utmost simplicity and to the most positive accuracy. As the screws 17 are screwed down firmly, the pressure exerted thereby upon the shell 13 will be transmitted to the terminals 31 and force them into engagement with the contacts 24 under what may be termed a compression contact, which brings about a most intimate engagement between the elements referred to and results in a most eflicient electrical connection between the heating element and the source of electricity. The active heating element, that is, the sheet 20, is made in one piece, with the wire 23 wound continuously about the same, thusreducing this element to the simplest form and doing away with the multiplicity of parts existin in heating elements which consist of a p urality of wire-wound members, as is now generally the case. The individual elements, such as the shell 13, casting 14 and heating element 20, are properly centered by the screws 17 and the centering of the heating element 20 is still further assured through the medium of the depression 36 formed either in the base 10 or in the casting 14.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10 differs from the preceding forms principally in the manner of mounting the terminals 31 upon the iron; in the form first described, these terminals are carried by the shell 13, while in the form illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the corresponding terminals are fixed upon the casting 14, which corresponds with the casting 14 previously described. In the present case-the casting 14 is provided with an inclined wall 14 in registry with and forming a top for the recess 29 which corresponds to the recess 29 of the upon the castin form first described; this wall 14" is formed with suitable openin in which sleeves 37 of mica or other insuating material are located, Sheets 32 and 33" of mica or equivalent insulating material being located upon opposite faces of said wall and being apertured in registry with the sleeves 37, as shown in Fig. 10. Bushings 38 ofmetal or other suitable material extend through the apertured sheets 32 and 33 and through the sleeves 37 and are clamped in place by means of heads 39, which engage the sheets 32 and nuts 40, which screw upon said bushings and against the sheets 33 with this arrangement the bushings 38 are fixed l4 and are efliciently insulated there mm. The bushings 38 are each provided with internally screwthreaded, axial bores for the rece tion of the screw-threaded portions 31 0 the terminals 31", the latter being fixed in position in said bushings by lock nuts 34; in order that the screw-threaded portions 31 do not extend materially beyond the upper ends of the bushings 38, the heads 39 thereof are recessed and the nuts 34 are formed with reduced portions arranged to fit into said recesses andto constitute the screw-threaded members which co-operate with the screwthreaded portions 31 of the terminals to lock the same 1n adjusted positions. The terminals 31" project through an opening 13 in the shell 13 and beyond the same, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, for the reception of the customary plu 35, as in the form previously described; a sfieet. of insulating material 41 is located upon the terminals 31" and has its edges sprung beneath the shell 13, so as to close the opening 13- thereof and to rest against the lock nuts 34, as indicated in F lgs. 9 and 10.

In practice, the inner ends of the terminal rods 31 are tapered and fit into the recesses 25 of the contacts 24, as in the first form, it

P bein understood that the heating element is of t e same general construction and arrangement as previously set forth herein.

With the construction shown in Figs. 9

i and 10, the plu 35, when in position u on the terminal ro s 31", may be adjusted into surface engagement with the sheet 41 where by s aces between said plug and the iron whic might develop short circuits are entirely avoided.

It will be noted that, in this case, the placing of the casting 14 in its intended position automatically engages the terminals 31 with the contacts 24 or, in others words, causes the tapered ends thereof to automatically enter the recesses 25 of said contacts. The contacts 24 here also are maintained in proper position for engagement by the ter- I minals through the medium of the openings 28 of the sheet 27 which, in turn, is malntained in place by the screws 17. In this sure exerted thereby upon the shell 13 will be transmitted to t minals 31 and force them into firm engagement with the contacts 24 under what here also may be termed a compression contact, which brings about a most intimate engagement between the elements referred to and results in a most eflicient electrical connection between the heating element and the source of electricity. The terminal rods 31" may be readil adjusted relatively to the casting 14 to ring the ends into most efficient connection with the contacts 24 by simply first loosenin the lock-nuts 34 and then screwing said rods in or out upon the wall 14 until the desired adjustment is secured; the nuts 34 are then again screwed home to fix said terminal rods 31" in place.

In the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10,'the recess 36 is omitted and both the base 10 and the casting 14 are made with flat, unrecessed surfaces between which the heating element fits.

In order that' unintentional disconnection of the plug 35 from the terminals 31 or'31",

which, as previously mentioned, is resisted casting 14 and the ternals against any material rocking movement relatively thereto. In the preferred con- .struction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this bail 16 is pivotally-con'neeted with said handle, for instance by means of a fiat spring 16? which also exerts a resilient controlling action thereon and permits said bail to be swung to an inoperative position a ainst the handle 16. The pivot member 0 the bail 16 is preferably provided with a flattened surface 16 which bears against the handle 16 and, in co-operation with the spring 16", serves to resiliently maintain said bail in its operative position; if the bail is depressed beyond its normal-operative position, the action of the spring in co-operation with said flattened surface will also cause the bail to automatically return to its operative position, as soon as the depressing force is re moved. It will be understood that the bail 16 and its spring 16 or an equivalent-arrangement'may, if desired, also be included in the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The iron operates in the well knownway in that the electric current passing through the wire 23 brings the same to a state of mcandence and thereby generates heat, which is transmitted to the base 10 in the well known way. The air space 15 between the casting 14 and the shell 13 retards the transmission of heat from the casting, which naturally becomes heated in the operation of the iron, to the shell and to the handle 16; the iron may thus be comfortably and conveniently used without the necessity for any handle pads or the like.

The iron is extremely simple in construction and is entirel devoid of any complicated elements like y to become disarranged', and as a result, is economical to produce and to operate. The iron may be quickly assembled with a minimum of effort and may be easily taken apart when, for any reason, this is required.

Various modifications ma be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the nature of my invention.

I claim:

1. An electric iron comprising a body, a heating element therein, a pair of terminals connected with said heating element whereby the latter is connected with a source of e ectricity, said terminals being located in line with each other along the major longitudinal axis of the iron and thereby interposing a resistance against unintentional removal of the connecting plug due to pulling strains upon the wire whereby said plug and iron are connected with a source of electricity.

2. An electric iron comprising a base, a heating element located upon said base and provided with a pair of contacts, -a shell secured upon said base, a casting on said base within said shell, 9. pair of terminals carried by one of said elements and adapted to abut against said contacts, and means for curing said shell, base and casting to ether and for maintaining said terminals an contacts in engagement with each other.

3. An electric iron comprising a base, a shell secured thereto, a heating element located upon said base and provided with a pair of unyielding contacts having recesses a pair of rigid terminals carrie by said shell and having their inner ends adapted to extend into said recesses and abut against said contacts, and means for securing said shell and base together and for maintaining said terminals and contacts in engagement with each other.

4. An electric iron comprising a base, a

shell mounted thereon, a heating element consistin of a sheet of insulating material and a wire continuously wound about the same in opposite directions, a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire and provided with recesses, a pair of terminals mounted upon said shell in registgy with the lo 'tudinal axis of the iron an having tape ends adapted to fit into the recesses of said contacts, and means for securin said shell and base together and for maintaining said terminals and contacts in engagement with each other.

5. An electric iron comprising a base, a casting, one of said elements bein provided with a depression, a heatin e ement consisting of a single sheet of insulating material and a wire wound about the same in opposite directions, a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire, means for insulating said wire from the base and from the casting, said heating element and insulating means corresponding in shape and dimensions to said depression and fitted into the same, a shell connected with said base, a pair of terminals carried by said shell and arranged to abut against said contacts, and means for securing and centering said shell, casting, heating element an base together and for maintaining said terminals in engagement with said contacts.

6. An electric iron comprising a base, a heating element located thereon and provided with a pair of recessed contacts and havin apertures, a casting located upon said heating element and Provided with apertures registering with the apertures of said heatin element, a shell fitted over said casting an heating element and having registering a ertures, a pair of terminals carried by sald shell and having their ends fitted into the recesses of said contacts, a handle for manipulating said iron, and screws extending through said handle and through the apertures of said shell, casting and heating element into said base for centering and securing the parts of the iron together and for maintaining said terminals in engagement with said contacts.

7. An electric iron comprising a base, a heating element having a pair of contacts, an insulating sheet located u on said heating element and provided wit openings for positioning said contacts, a casting located upon said heating element and having an open ended slot in registry with said contacts, a shell fitted upon said base and enclosing said casing and heating element, a pair of terminals carried by said shell and having their ends fitted into the recesses of said contacts, and means for securing said shell, casting, heating element and base tother and for maintaining said terminals in engagement with said contacts.

8. An electric iron comprising a base, a shell secured thereto, a casting upon said base within said shell, a heating element located between said base and casting and provided with a (pair of contacts, a pair of terminals carrie to abut against said contacts, and means for by said casting and adapted- Lea-mac securing said base, shell and casting together and for maintaining said termlnals and contacts in engagement with each other.

9. An electric iron comprising a base, a'

shell mounted thereon, a casting within said shell, a heating element consistin of a sheet of insulating material and a wire continuously wound about the same in opposite directions, a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire and provided with recesses, a pair of terminals mounted upon said castin in regist with the longitudinal axis of t e iron an having tapered ends adapted to fit into the recessesof said contacts, and means for securing said shell, casting and base together and for maintaining said terminals and contacts in engagement with each other.

10. An electric iron comprising a base, a heating element located thereon and provided with a pair of recessed contacts and havin apertures, a casting located upon said eating element and provided with apertures registering with the apertures thereof, a shell fitted over said casting and heating element and having registering apertures, a pair of terminals carrie by sai casting and aving their ends fitted into the recesses of said contacts, a handle for manipul ating'1 said iron, and screws extending thro said handle through the apertures of said ell, casting and heating element into said base for securing the parts of the iron together and for maintaining said terminals in engagement with said contacts.

11. An electric iron comprising a base, a heating element having a pair of contacts,

v an insulating sheet located upon said heat-' ing element and provided with openings for sitionin asaid contacts, a casting locafe upon sai heating element and havin a recess in registry with said contacts and provided with a wall overhanging said recess, a shell fitted u on said base and enclosing said casting an heating element, a pair of terminals mounted upon said wall of the casing and having their ends fitted into recesses of said contacts, and means for securing said shell, casting, heating element and base together and for maintainin said terminals in engagement with sai contacts. 12. An electric iron comprising a base, a shell connected therewith, a heating element upon said base having adpair of contacts, a casting located upon sai heating element and having a recess and an inclined wall in regist with said contacts, a shell fitted upon sai base and enclosing said casting and heating element, insulated bushin clamped upon said overhanging wall of e casing, 11. pair of terminals adjustabl mounted in said bushings and having their inner ends in engagement with said contacts, and means for securing said shell, casting, heating element and base together and for maintaining said terminals in engagement with said contacts.

13. In an electric sad-iron, a heating element consisting of a sheet of insulatingmaterial, a wire wound about the same in opposite directions, and contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire.

14. In an electric iron, a heating element comprising a sheet of insulating material opposite directions, a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wires, and a sheet of insulating material covering the one series of convolutions of said wire and extending beneath the terminal ends and contacts thereof to insulate said contacts and terminal ends from said convolutions.

16. In an electric iron, a heating element comprising a sheet of insulatin material having a notched peri hery, a wire wound continuously about sa1d sheet of material in opposite directions and fitted in said notches, and a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire, said heating element being provided with spaced apertures extending therethrough.

17 In an electric iron, a heating element comprising a sheet of insulating material havmg a notched periphery, a wire wound continuousl opposite 'rections and fitted in said notches, and a pair of contacts connected with the terminal ends of said wire, said heating element and insulating sheet being provided with registering spaced apertures extending therethrough.

18. In an electric iron, a heating element about said sheet of material in comprising a sheet of insulating material, a

wire wound continuously about the same in o posite directions, contacts connected with t e terminal ends of said wires, a sheet of insulatin material covering the one series of convo utions of said wire and extending beneath the terminal ends and contacts thereof to insulate the same from said convolutions, and a second sheet of insulatin material located in surface engagement wit the first-named insulating material and provided with openings for positioning said contacts. a

19. In an electric iron, a heating element comprising a sheet of insulating material, a wire wound continuously about the same in o posite directions, contacts connected with t e terminal ends of said wins, a sheet'of insulatin material covering the one series of convo utions of said wire and extending beneath the terminal ends and contacts thereof to insulate the same from said convolutions, and a second sheet of insulatin material located in surface engagement witfi the first-named insulating material and provided with openings for positioning said contacts, said heating element and sheets of insulating material being provided with registerin'g spaced apertures extending therethrough. 20. An electric iron comprising a body, a handle therefor, a heatin element in said body, a pair of termina s connected with said heating element and adapted to receive an electric plug, whereby said heating element is connected with a source of electricity, said terminals being located in line with each other along the major lon 'tudinal axis of the iron, and a bail movab y connected with said handle for encircling said plug to relieve the terminals of strains exerted upon the plug.

21. An electric iron comprising a body, a handle therefor, a heatin element in said body a pair of termina s connected with said heating element and adapted to receive an electric plug, whereby said heating element is connected with a source of electricity, said terminals being located in line with each other along the major longitudinal axis of the iron, and a spring-controlled bail pivotally mounted upon said handle and adapted to encircle said plug to relieve the terminals of strains exerted upon the plug, said bail being pivotally movable to an inoperative position against said handle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

OTTO SPAHR. 

